Conveyer-trough driving connection



April 14', l931- J. w. wlLsoN 1,800,489

GONVEYER TROUGH DRIVING CONNECTION Filed Dec. 29. 3.928 A 3 Sheets-Sheet l ya: ovvegys April 14, 1931. J. w. wlLsoN ,GONVEYER-TROUGH DRIVING CONNECTION Filed Dec. `29, 1928 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 175 yl? my 178 173 ,e

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April 14, 1931. .1. w, WILSON CONVEYER THOUGH DRIVING CONNECTION Filed Deo. 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'las Patented pr. 14, 1931 i J'OHN WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LINK-BELTCOMPANY,

CHICAGO, ILLINoIsA coItronA'rIoN or ILLINOIS GONVEYER-TROUGH V:DRIVING CONNECTION Application filed December 29, 1928. Serial No. 329,267. v

My invention relates to a device for use with conveying machinery and has partlcular reference to a shaker ort reciprocating type of conveyor wherein the material delivered to the conveyor trough, for example by a feeder, isr conveyed rearwardly away from the feeder by a longitudinal reciprocation o1E the trough. One object of my invention is to Vprovide an improved connecting element between the 1Q: driving unit and the trough. Another ob-` jectis to provide means for distributing, di-

viding or reducing the strain incidental to driving vthe conveyor. Another object is the provision of driving means for the trough which shall be placed laterally ory vertically, or both laterally and vertically, out of line of movement of the trough. Y Another object is the provision of improved connecting means betwen such trough and a correctly aligned 29; or misaligned driving means. Otherobjects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the laccompanying drawings, wherein1- Y f' Figure 1 is a plan-view; n

Figure 2is a side elevation; Figure 3 is an inverted partial plan v1ew on an'enlarged scale; y 3,2 Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.; f

, Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure1;f ,y Y, v, 'f v Figure 6 is a partial'plan View on an en- 352 larged scale of a modified form; 7

Figure? is a side elevation illustrating a further .variation-of my device' Figure Sis a plan view of the device shown in Figure 7 and 40..' Figure 9 is a further variant form.

v*Like parts yare indicated by like symbols' throughout the specification and drawings. y Whereas I dok not wish to limit myself to the particular structure of employmenthere-v in shown, except'so far as limited thereto by the language of my claims, my invention vis herein'illustrated as appliedto a reciprocating-conveyor such as isvused in conveying coal' V5o. in a coal mine. Referring, for example, to

Figure 2, Aindicatestheoor'and A1 the 'l A roof.

l B generally indicates 'a conveyor trough whichmay be mounted for reciprocation vfor example upon the rollers B?, which rest upon track members B2 and support the upper track members B3 uponl the trough B. yThe troughis herein shown as made in anumber of sections, it being understood that the` length of the trough may beincreased or diminished at need. Y Y

C diagrammatically indicates any suitablereciprocating means for said trough,said reciprocating means 'including thecrank arms C1 C1. It will beunderstood that any suitable trough is employed to 'which an oscillation is imparted by said crank arms C1. C2 generally indicates a driving yoke having the two arms C3 C3, each such arm being pivf oted at its outer end to theouter end of one of the cranks C1. The yoke C2 is provided with a lateral extension C4, which'termin'atesv in a sleeve C5. YMounted in'said sleeve C, the interior of which is provided with the cylindri' cal bore C6, is the swivel pin ormember. generallyindicated in Figure 4 as D, with a cylindrical bearing member D1 at each endthereof. Extending from one -endof theswivel pin D.

is the screw-threaded extensionD2.,providedV with the lock and adjustment nuts D3. 1 At the opposite end of the member D is theen- Vupon anyfsuita'ble depending lug or lugs E27- upon a plate E3, herein shown as secured to the bottom oi! the trough B.v E4 vindicate strengthening webs. ,The clevis at its oppositev end terminates 'in a vertically separated fork including the members ,E5 E5, the inner faces of-which engagethe opposed faces D6 on the extension D5 of the swivel member D. The membersrD5 and E5 are apertured inline ses! \ sembly in position.

Referring to the variant form shownin Figure 6, the sleeve Chas slidingly mounted in it theV pin orsliaft I-I headed as a't I-Il' and provided with the abut'mentsv or' washers H2. Compressed between the abutments H2 and one side of the sleeve C5 is the spring or springs Hg. The connection be-` tween the pin I-I and the trough B is the same asy shown l and 2 and above described. Y

Referriiigto' the form ofFigu-res 7 and 8, tliearms G1 and tlie power unit extend upwardly instead of `depending as shown in Figure 2. The" yoke G2, with its arms C3,- is positioned s'iini'ciently above ther-power unit tol beV shortened asv shownin Fig-ure 8. The connection between the hub or sleeve C5 and s: the pin D is the salmev as' above described.

However, in place of the short arm E I have substituted an extended rod- I with the head I1, the terminal portion- I2, the abutment washers I3 and the nuts It holding the as- Sli'dab'ly mounted on the portion IZ is the yoke I5, which is centered between the springs I,6 I7',- thus allowing the conveyingaction exerted by the power plant C; upon the'- trough B. The arms I2 of the yoke I5 .are forked as at I9 to receive the upwardly extending members 11 mounted on the trbuglh B, through which thecon-k veying movement is imparted to the trough.

Figure 9- illustrates a devicewhich varies from the device of Figures 7 and 8 in that, in place ofthe springs I6 I7, are inserted yielding members I:l1 112, which may be for z example ofrubber.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown an operative device, many changes may be made in the size, shap'e,.rel-a tion and distribution of parts without departing from' the spirit of my invention, and I wish, therefore, that my showing be con sidered in a large measure as diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: Y v Q Insetting up reciprocating conveyors, for example for mine use, on the bottom of mine entries andthe like,`it is difficult to obtain an accurate alignment of working parts.

Animportant feature of my invention Vis the provision of a universal or flexible conneetion between the drivingmeans and the trough Bof such a conveyor. I may obtain this connection by employing the longitudinal swivel pin generally indicated as" D', andl D is swiveled into the cylindrical terminal hub or sleeve C5 of the yoke eXtension'C. Thus the drive to'which the trough is connected may rotate about a longitudinal axis without throwing any strain upon the yoke and without displacing" or' throwing" Iadditional wear upon vany of the driving parts.

I do'notwish to be limited, except so far as set out inthe claims, to any particular connection or spacial relatior'iI between the'd'iiving unit' and the 'trough'. A practical solution of the problem iste positionthe power plant to one side of the axis of the trough and in such case I provide a universal connection between the lateral extension of the yoke C2 and the trough; RegardlessI of thev location of the driving means `I prefer to interpose Sonie variety of highly flexible onunivesal drive" ing connection, as shown herein. I may im stance the vertical pivot pin G which eonnects the end of the swivel `pin tothe @levisI E which, in turn, isvpivoted about the hori-k Zontal 'axis El. The result is a peculiaiily flexible and eliic'ient driving conneetion which permits the assembly and its va-'i'` parts to adjust themselves and toper'foiin' their functions without being @afi'ete'd by slight irregularities in movement or' position ofthedriving means or trough. The thrust washers D7 and D8 permit notation of the member D in relation tothe mem= ber C5. Owing to the flexible connection, a rigid alignment of the driving means in relation to thetrough is unnecessary.

Referring to Figures 6` andfollowing Iillustrate shock'taking means in the line of drive. In Figure' 61 I show a yielding con nection between the sleeve C5 and 'tlie pin or shaft II. This cushions shocks 'and pfo-` vides an improved connection tothe trough and minimizes wearV on the driving' Connection and on the power plant." Figures 7 and 8, in which I show the driving oonnection above rather than below the trough,- I interposev a yielding' 'connection between the yoke I5 and the driving member I. This yielding connection may be provided bythe springs IG I7 or by thefj yielding blocksI11r I12 of Figure 9.

I claim: l. In a reciprocating"conveyor, a conveyor trough, driving means ad'ap'tedtoimpar'tto it a lconveying reciprocation, anda Vdriving connection intermediate saidY driving means and said trough, including means permitting movement or misalignment of said trough or drive about horizontal and vertical axes. Y 2.5 In a reciprocating conveyor, a conveyor fio ifs

trough, driving means adapted to im art to it a conveying reciprocation, anda riving connection intermediate said driving meansV andsaid trough, said driving conneeti'n in? cluding longitudinal pvoting'meansi, vertical vpivoting IiaSL means andtransverse pivoting',`

3.' In a reciprocating conveyor, a conveyor trough, driving means adapted to im art to it a conveying reciprocation, and ariving connection intermediate said driving means and said trough, including means permitting vertical, horizontal or lateral movement or misalignmentof said trough or drive.

4. In a reciprocating conveyor, a conveyor trough, driving means positioned adjacent said trough, adapted to impart to it a conveying reciprocation, said driving means including a plurality of crank arms, and a driving connection intermediate said crank arms and said trough, including a yoke, an arm on said yoke pivoted to each of said crankarms and a lateral extension from said yoke, a connection between said lateral extension and the trough, including a swivel pin rotatable in relation to said lateral extension and about ya longitudinal axis, a clevis pivoted to said trough for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis and a vertical rotatable connection between said swivel pin and clevis.

5. In a reciprocating conveyor, a conveyor trough, driving kmeans adapted to impart to it a conveying reciprocation, and a driving connection intermediate 4said driving means and said trough, said driving connection including a swivel pin rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a clevis pivoted to said trough for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis, and a vertical rotatable connection be` l tween said swivel pin and clevis.

6. In a reciprocating conveyor, a conveyor trough, driving means adapted to impart to it a conveying reciprocation, and a driving connection intermediate said driving means and said trough, said driving connection including a yoke operatively connected to said driving means, and a flexible connection between said yoke and trough, said connection including plural angularly disposed pivots permitting relative displacement of the trough and drive means.

7. In a reciprocating conveyor including a reciprocable conveying trough and power drive means therefor, a driving connection between the power meansand trough to impart conveying movement to the trough, said driving connection including means permit ting lateral, horizontal or vertical relative movement or displacement of the trough, and powermeans to compensate for Airregularities in the surface on which said members f are supported. Y

' Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 17th day of November,

vJOI-IN vW. WILSON. 

